ASSOCIATED PRESSA U.S. Marine presented the flag that draped the coffin of Lance Cpl. Robert A. Lynch to Lynch's mother, Angela Robinson, yesterday during a funeral service at Zachary Taylor National Cemetery in Louisville, Ky. CLICK FOR LARGE

Kaneohe Marine laid to rest

Lance Cpl. Robert Lynch was killed in Diyala province, Iraq

Staff and news services

Hundreds of mourners gathered in Louisville, Ky., yesterday for the funeral of a Hawaii-based Marine killed in combat in Iraq.

Lance Cpl. Robert A. Lynch, 20, of Jefferson, Ky., was killed last week in Diyala province along with two other Marines during an operation against a Sunni insurgent stronghold.

The two other Marines killed were Cpl. James McRae, 22, of Springtown, Texas, and Cpl. Matthew Zindars, 21, of Watertown, Wis.

Family members have said Lynch was eager to join the military right out of high school.

"He was strong-willed, and he also had a heart of gold. He was a Marine through and through," said retired Sgt. Maj. Gary Wilson, who spoke at Lynch's funeral service. Wilson taught Lynch in ROTC classes at Seneca High School, where he graduated in 2005.

Lynch joined the Marine Corps in May 2006. He reported to Hawaii in January and deployed to Iraq in March, said Marine Corps Base Hawaii spokesman 1st Lt. Binford Strickland. Lynch died July 24.